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Fender strums for Tigers

Photo by COURTESY FENDER MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS CORP.
Fender has included the Tigers among its initial line of Major League Baseball-licensed Fender Stratocasters.

Wanna let the crowd at your next gig know you're a Detroit Tigers diehard? Then Fender has you covered — for $799.

The iconic Scottsdale, Ariz.-based guitar maker, formally known as Fender Musical Instruments Corp., has included the Tigers among its initial line of Major League Baseball-licensed Fender Stratocasters.

The solid-body electric guitar in Tigers colors is festooned with the team name logo, the Old English D, and a RenCen silhouette. The company specs also call for an alder body maple neck with modern "C" shape, 21 medium jumbo frets, three standard single-coil Strat pickups and other standard features.

Fender is making Stratocasters for 11 other teams, plus a Minnesota Twins All-Star Game version this year. They're all at Fender.com.

The Stratocaster model, introduced in 1954, has been used by music legends such as Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Bonnie Raitt, George Harrison and Buddy Holly.

"The connections are intrinsic — baseball bats and guitars are both made from maple and ash, and tons of ballplayers are guitar players," Justin Norvell, Fender marketing vice president, said in a statement. "We've had more casual or informal connections with players and teams for years, so this further solidifies a relationship we've long valued and enjoyed."

Stratocasters range from a $179 "mini" version to $15,000 for a special Eric Clapton model. The guitars are manufactured in Baja California, Mexico.